Automatic swimming pool freeze protector

ABSTRACT

A device for automatically protecting swimming pools from freezing by a temperature sensing element which is actuated at a predetermined temperature of the ambient air and activates the swimming pool pump in order to circulate the water through the swimming pool to prevent freezing.

United States Patent Strange, Jr. Sept. 2, 1975 [54] AUTOMATIC SWIMMING POOL FREEZE 3,384,109 /1968 Stroburg et a1. 137/434 PROTECTOR 3233332 1511333 1 1 1i "31131513 I'OO mire [76] in n o E m r g J 21 3,618,625 11/1971 Walters 137/62 Glenaire Dr., Dallas, Tex. 75229 3,675,252 7/1972 Ghiz 4/172.17 [22] Filed Dec 12 197; 3,768,925 10/1973 Klemm 11 417/32 21 A l N 423 951 FOREIGN PATENTS OR APPLICATIONS 1 pp 461,828 2/1937 11111166 Kingdom 4/17217 LS. CI. Primary Examiner Henfy [51] Int. Cl E041! 3/16; E041! 3/18 Att r y A t, or Firm-Howard E, Moore; Gerald [58] Field of Search 4/172.l7, 172.18, 172.15, G c tsin er A device for automatically protecting swimming pools [56] References cued from freezin b a tem erature sensin element which 8 y P 2 UNITED STATES PATENTS is actuated at a predetermined temperature of the am- 2,778,3l3 l/l957 Hill 417/32 bient air and activates the swimming pool pump in order to circulate the water through the swimming 1 001 t re nt free in 3,221,706 12/1965 Johnson. 417/32 X p op V6 2 g 3,306,263 2/1967 1611115611.... 417 32 6 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure 1 fit 1m Z2 1 j Z I l e I; I l a H a: l h

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3\ c /6 K 8 I4 "E -a 8 1 6 l 1g 7o 8 76" I 26 9/ 1 l I 98 I 96 45 l PATENTEDSEP 2197s AUTOMATIC SWIMMING POOL FREEZE PROTECTOR BACKGROUND OF INVENTION Problems arise in the protection of unheated swimming pools during the cold months of the year due to the fact that the water cannot be heated to prevent freezing.

Freezing causes severe injury to the pool in that it cracks the pool sides and bottom, burst pipes, and will crack the ceramic tile and plaster of the pool sides and bottom.

The severity of winter cannot always be foreseen by those who travel away from home or are gone in the middle of the night and therefore adjustments cannot be made for the weather.

Leaving the pool pump on constantly is'a waste of electrical energy in short supply today and creates undue strain and wear upon the pump by constant running and is therefore undesirable.

Often pools have timing circuits to actuate the pump to clean the pool but will not come on for protection against freezing at the proper time.

SUMMARY OF INVENTION I have devised an automatic swimming pool freeze protector device for the prevention of damage to swimming pools due to the hazards of freezing conditions.

Such device consists of a temperature sensing element which can be set at an adjustable temperature of the surrounding ambient air above freezing, such as 38F. Such temperature sensing element activates a relay which creates a by-pass of the timing circuit of the normal pool operation, in order to actuate the pool p mp- Thereby my device switches on at a predetermined temperature and operates the pool pump, circulating the water therethrough thereby preventing freezing of the water by agitation and creating currents until such time as the temperature rises above the predetermined temperature at which the device is set.

The primary object of my invention is to prevent freezing of unheated pools by a simple and inexpensive device which senses the ambient air temperature.

Another object of my invention is to provide an energy saving device to prevent freezing of swimming pools by not having the pool pump run constantly.

A further object of my invention is to provide such a device which operates automatically thereby eliminating the need for a human presence to operate the swimming pool protector.

These and other objects are effected by my invention as will be apparent in the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS Drawings of a preferred embodiment of my invention are annexed hereto so that the invention may be better and more fully understood, in which:

FIG. 1 is a partially sectionalized perspective view of a typical swimming pool With pump and filter with which is associated a schematic view of the automatic swimming pool protector and timing device.

Numeral references are employed to designate like parts in the drawings.

DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT In FIG. I of the drawing the numeral 1 generally designates a typical swimming pool with typical drains and overflows, input jets, a pump, filter, and timing unit to operate said pump.

The swimming pool 1 generally comprises a unit having four side walls 2 and a bottom 4.

The swimming pool 1 has overflow vents 6 into which overflow water flows into collectors 7 and out through drain pipes 8. Swimming pool I also has a central drain 10 which communicates with drain pipe I2 which empties into a return line 14 which is connected in communication with a filter l6 and therethrough with the suction side of pump 18.

The pump 18 discharges into supply line 20 which discharges into the pool through jets 22. Therefore a constant circulation of water occurs when the pump is in operation through the drains l0 and overflow vents 6 into return line 14, through the filter 16, through the pump 18, through the supply lines 20 and water supply jets 22.

The pump 18 is operated by an electric motor 24 which is activated by a conventional timing means 26 as will hereinafter be more fully explained.

Generally filtering of the swimming pool 1 occurs on a regular timed basis in order to clean the pool and circulate the water therethrough. The timing means 26 is connected to power supply lines 30, 32, and a ground line 34 which connect with the normally open contacts 36, 38, and 40 respectively. The timing clock motor is a typical 24-hour timer which has adjustable predetermined settings which will close the contacts 36, 38, and 40 at predetermined intervals.

Conductors 48, 50 and 52 are connected to poles 42, 44, and 46 of the timing device switch 100. Conductors 48, 50, and 52 Connect poles 42, 44 and 46 of switch 100 to pump motor 24.

My device attaches by means of conductors 54, 56, and 58 to power lines 30, 32 and 34 through poles 60, 62, and 64 respectively. Poles 60, 62 and 64 are normally open from contacts 66, 68, and which are connected to conductors 72, 74, and 76. Conductors 72, 74, and 76 are connected to conductors 48, 50, and 52 respectively which in turn are connected to the motor 24. The poles 60, 62, and 64 are activated by relay 78.

Relay 78 is activated by a temperature sensing device 102 which opens upon a predetermined rise in temperature. It senses the ambient temperature of the surrounding air and not that of the water in pool 1. Conductor 80 connects one side of coil 78 with normally closed contact 82. Pole 84 of the temperature sensing device 102 is connected to conductor 86 which in turn is connected to one side of a secondary coil 90 of transformer 94. The other side of the secondary coil 90 is connected to conductor 92 which is connected to the other side of coil 78.

The transformer 94 comprises a primary coil 91 and a secondary coil 90. The primary coil 91 is connected by a conductor 96 to power supply line 30 and the other side of transformer primary coil 91 is connected to the ground 34 by means of conductor 98.

It should be readily apparent that the system need not be a 220-volt system, but may operate on any A.C. volt age and current.

The operation and function of the apparatus hereinbefore described is as follows:

As the temperature drops to a predetermined value, such as 38F., the pole 84 closes connecting the circuit of the relay coil 78, causing the normally open poles 60, 62, and 64 to close. This completes a circuit from power lines 30, 32, and 34 through conductors 54, 56, and 58 through poles 60, 62, and 64 through contacts 66, 68, and 70 through conductors 72, 74, and 76 through conductors 48, 50, and 52 to motor 24. Motor 24 is thus actuated to operate the pump 18 to cause circulation of the water in pool 1. Circulation of the water continues as long as the ambient temperature remains below the predetermined value to prevent freezing by reason of the agitation and movement of the water.

it should be readily apparent that actuation of my device will not interfere with the usual timing circuit 26 of the pool pump. The temperature sensing device is a by-pass circuit which will actuate the motor 24 by means of the relay circuit 78 thereby overriding the timing circuit 26.

The temperature sensing device is connected in parallel with the timing circuit 26 and from the laws of electricity it should be apparent that the voltage to motor 24 will be the same whether the temperature sensing device or timing means are actuated or both circuits are in the on position.

Having described my invention, 1 claim:

1. A water circulating device for a swimming pool comprising, a pump having an intake side and a discharge side; at least one overflow vent in a side of said pool; at least one water supply jet in a side of said pool; means connecting the intake side of the pump to said overflow vent; means connecting the discharge side of the pump to said water supply jet, said overflow vent and said water supply jet being located around the periphery of the pool to create circulatory flow, an electric motor arranged to operate the pump; power supply means; and a temperature sensing device arranged to connect'the power supply means to the motor upon being exposed to a predetermined minimum ambient temperature.

2. The combination called for in claim 1 with the addition of a power transformer between the temperature sensing device and the power supply.

3. The combination called for in claim 1 with the addition of a relay having contacts therein arranged to be closed by power supplied through the temperature sensing means to connect the power supply to the motor.

4. The combination called for in claim 3 with the addition of a timer switch in the power supply circuit in series with the motor arranged to actuate the motor at timed intervals.

5. The combination called for in claim 4 wherein the relay contacts are in parallel with the timer switch.

6. A water circulatory device for a swimming pool comprising, an overflow vent, a pump having an intake and a discharge side; at least one water supply jet in a side of said pool; means connecting the intake side of the pump to said overflow vent; means connecting the intake side of the pump to said overflow vent; means connecting the discharge side of the pump to said water supply jet, said overflow vent and said water supply jet being located around the periphery of the pool to create circulatory flow, motor to operate the pump; a source of electric power; an electric power circuit between the power source and the motor; a timer switch in the circuit to connect the power source to the motor at timed intervals; a temperature sensor switch; an electric sensor circuit in which the sensor is disposed in series; a relay coil in series .in the sensor circuit; a power transformer between the power circuit and the sensor circuit to supply electric power to the sensor circuit; a by-pass circuit connected to the power supply bypassing the timer device and connected to the motor; and contacts in said relay closeable by the relay coil disposed in series in the by-pass circuit to thereby energize the motor when the relay is energized.

UNITED STATES PATENT AND TRADEMARK OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF QGRRECTIUN 5,902,202 DATED 1 Sept. 2, 1975 |N\/ ENTOR(S) Elmore C. Strange PATENT NO.

It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 6, lines 5 and 6, cancel "means connecting the intake side of the pump to said overflow vent;

Claim 6, line 10, after 'flow" cancel and insert an electric and ealcd tr'o A ttest:

RUTH C. MASON C. MARSHALL DANN Arresting Officer Commissioner oj'Pnrents and Trademarks 

1. A water circulating device for a swimming pool comprising, a pump having an intake side and a discharge side; at least one overflow vent in a side of said pool; at least one water supply jet in a side of said pool; means connecting the intake side of the pump to said overflow vent; means connecting the discharge side of the pump to said water supply jet, said overflow vent and said water supply jet being located around the periphery of the pool to create circulatory flow, an electric motor arranged to operate the pump; power supply means; and a temperature sensing device arranged to connect the power supply means to the motor upon being exposed to a predetermined minimum ambient temperature.
 2. The combination called for in claim 1 with the addition of a power transformer between the temperature sensing device and the power supply.
 3. The combination called for in claim 1 with the addition of a relay having contacts therein arranged to be closed by power supplied through the temperature sensing means to connect the power supply to the motor.
 4. The combination called for in claim 3 with the addition of a timer switch in the power supply circuit in series with the motor arranged to actuate the motor at timed intervals.
 5. The combination called for in claim 4 wherein the relay contacts are in parallel with the timer switch.
 6. A water circulatory device for a swimming pool comprising, an overflow vent, a pump having an intake and a discharge side; at least one water supply jet in a side of said pool; means connecting the intake side of the pump to said overflow vent; means connecting the intake side of the pump to said overflow vent; means connecting the discharge side of the pump to said water supply jet, said overflow vent and said water supply jet being located around the periphery of the pool to create circulatory flow, motor to operate the pump; a source of electric power; an electric power circuit between the power source and the motor; a timer switch in the circuit to connect the power source to the motor at timed intervals; a temperature sensor switch; an electric sensor circuit in which the sensor is disposed in series; a relay coil in series in the sensor circuit; a power transformer between the power circuit and the sensor circuit to supply electric power to the sensor circuit; a by-pass circuit connected to the power supply by-passing the timer device and connected to the motor; and contacts in said relay closeable by the relay coil disposed in series in the by-pass circuit to thereby energize the motor when the relay is energized. 